Nobukazu Kuriki Drops Everest Summit Bid

Japanese climber Nobukazu Kuriki, who lost nine fingers to frostbite in 2012, has abandoned his attempt to climb Mount Everest.

In a post on his Facebook page, Nobukazu Kuriki wrote: “I tried hard taking all my energy, but it took too much time to move in deep deep snow.

“I realised if I kept going, I wouldn’t be able to come back alive.”

Nobukazu Kuriki, 33, took the decision after attempting a final push to reach the 8,848m (29,029ft) summit.

The climber was the first person to attempt the climb since Nepal’s devastating earthquake in April.

It was the fifth time he had tried to reach the summit in the past six years.

Nobukazu Kuriki wrote that he decided to abandon his attempt after leaving “the final camp” on Saturday evening.

“Thank you so much for all your support,” he said.

Nobukazu Kuriki was following the same route used by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay when they became the first people to reach the summit in 1953.